Would it hurt to big up England for once?
Sunday Express
|April 27, 2025
WELL, that's a relief. I turned on Wednesday's Good Morning Britain to hear Sir Keir Starmer give us permission to fly the English flag on St George's Day. We should celebrate “our country, our values, our history” with pride, he said. If ITV’s political correspondent Louisa James had any doubts about the Prime Minister's sincerity, she kept them to herself.
Although had Andrew Neil been questioning him, he might have asked how committed the PM is to English history given that he had pictures of Elizabeth I and Sir Walter Raleigh taken down at No 10 last October.
Neil might also have asked if the PM’s conversion to patriotism was a cynical election stunt, if Emily Thornberry still sneered at public displays of patriotism and how celebrating our values sat with covertly subverting Brexit, selling out our fishermen, persecuting veterans and cracking down on free speech.
I could go on, but as someone who has called for TV to celebrate England’s national day for decades, any coverage was an improvement on the media class's haughty default setting of self-loathing.
BBC Breakfast ran a short clip of a 60ft by 26ft St George's flag being unveiled in Nottingham, while ITV's This Morning - vastly improved under Cat and Ben - sent Dan Hatfield to a West Sussex antiques fair to consort with Morris Dancers.
He also met purveyors of James Bond books and Star Wars toys (made in England, like the original films).
There was less cheery patriotism in evidence in the evening. BBC1's EastEnders has celebrated everything from American Independence Day to Diwali, but the only time St George's Day featured, it was an Alfie Moon scam.
This story is from the April 27, 2025 edition of Sunday Express.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 10,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORE STORIES FROM Sunday Express
Sunday Express
Seagulls out of Rutt but Parker misery continues
BURNLEY boss Scott Parker accused his players of lacking belief following a \"powderpuff” display as Brighton ended their six-game winless run.
1 min
January 04, 2026
Sunday Express
Social media block would ease teenage terror risk
THE UK should enforce an Australian-style social media ban to help prevent teenagers being radicalised online, the government's independent terrorism watchdog has suggested.
1 min
January 04, 2026
Sunday Express
FRANK'S GOT A NEW YEAR REVOLUTION
FROM the outside looking in, the rest of the Championship are probably thinking Coventry City are having a bit of a wobble.
1 mins
January 04, 2026
Sunday Express
Snow better place for ski fans than Tignes
Brits looking for ski holidays next year will know that there are some key factors for a great getaway - soft, abundant snow, beautiful views, and a bustling après-ski scene, whether that's for a mulled wine or a hearty cheese fondue.
2 mins
January 04, 2026
Sunday Express
Ugly duckling PC makeover
A dowdy duck skulks amid vast rafts of winter wildfowl as if trying to dodge auditions for Hans Christian Andersen's famous fairy tale.
1 mins
January 04, 2026
Sunday Express
Full speed ahead for Frimpong
JEREMIE MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME AFTER INJURY
2 mins
January 04, 2026
Sunday Express
Fighting talk from defeated Dyche
SEAN DYCHE insists he is improving Nottingham Forest and is focusing on the “reality not the noise” despite overseeing a fourth successive Premier League defeat.
1 mins
January 04, 2026
Sunday Express
Could PM win this year's sack race?
IT'S BEEN a while since the Prime Minister had one of our \"school report\" ratings of his work, indeed the last was when parliament broke up for the summer recess last year.
2 mins
January 04, 2026
Sunday Express
Golden oldie Gary causing a headache
EXCITING NEW ERA BUT FLYING SCOTSMAN ANDERSON ROLLS BACK THE YEARS
2 mins
January 04, 2026
Sunday Express
Thomas says Spur us on
FRANK MAKES PLEA TO FANS
1 mins
January 04, 2026
Listen
Translate
Change font size
